“There will be no restriction,” continued Mr. Holwell, “and every boy who belongs to the junior league of the association is entitled to try for the reward. Only it must be understood that all work must be original. And now if you are ready to register your names as candidates for acceptance we will see how many can be enrolled tonight.”
As before, there were cheers from the boys, but this time the din became really frightful. Nat and his two cronies had produced harsh sirens from their pockets, and persisted in blowing them to the utmost extent of their lungs.
In vain Mr. Holwell and Harry Bartlett held up their hands to implore silence. Most of the boys stopped cheering, but the three kept up their racket as though bent on breaking up the meeting then and there.
CHAPTER VIII
THE FIGHTING PARSON
“Silence!”
Dick could see Mr. Holwell’s lips form this word, but his voice was utterly unable to rise above the horrible din produced by the three hoarse sirens blown in company, with might and main by the plotters. Nat and his companions were turning red in the face with their efforts, yet gave no sign of slowing up.
Leslie gripped Dick’s arm. He was furious with indignation, and had Dick given him the signal, no doubt he stood ready to hurl himself on the nearest disturber of the meeting, and try to snatch the instrument of ear torture from his grasp.
Apparently, the minister had reached the end of his patience. He doubtless realized that this din was not occasioned through simple boyish enthusiasm, but must mark a well-arranged plot to break up the first meeting of the Boys’ Department.
The very fact that Nat led the disturbers of the peace was highly significant, for the Silmore boy’s reputation was anything but savory in the annals of Cliffwood’s rising generation.
If Nat counted on Mr. Holwell being a man of peace because he wore the garb of a minister, he made one of the greatest mistakes of his life. Those who knew the reverend gentleman better could have told him that for a man of his years he was as fine an athlete as could be found in that section of the country.